Why Can't All Companies Respond Like This?

meanredspider

Tacx VR turbo turned up yesterday. Spent a few hours last night messing about trying to get the software to work properly. Last night (9pm ish) emailed Tacx support. 08.15 this morning, reply from Tacx with full software update (retail would have cost me £100+). Can't ask for better service than that (short of sending around a scantily-clad nubile young thing to install it for me).

Slightly miffed at the retailer for selling me a product with very out-of-date software (clearly new old stock). I'm waiting to hear back from them.

veronese68

I think companies are learning that good customer service pays off in the long run. I reckon that's why John Lewis sales figures are often better than their competitors, they have a reputation for good service.

jonny_trousers

veronese68 wrote:

I think companies are learning that good customer service pays off in the long run. I reckon that's why John Lewis sales figures are often better than their competitors, they have a reputation for good service.

Not n my house they don't!

3 months to get a microwave delivered (got it for free in the end, though).

A chest of drawers that took about 3 weeks to arrive had to be sent back because it turned up damaged. Another 3 week wait, replacement arrived - damaged. Another 3 week wait, replacement arrived - only minor damage this time so cut our losses.

Mirror - wait - arrived - damaged - return - wait - replacement arrived.

Two sets of crockery poorly glazed that had to be returned.

It's fair to say that JL honour their responsibilities without question, and their customer support staff are very polite and sympathetic, but their delivery service is appalling. If I can't check it in the shop and get it home myself then I'll shop elsewhere.

meanredspider

jonny_trousers wrote:

but their delivery service is appalling. If I can't check it in the shop and get it home myself then I'll shop elsewhere.

+1 Had furniture delivered that was only good for firewood. Shambolic delivery too - random bits delivered at random times and had messages to say a product was on 4-week back order only for it to be delivered that afternoon!

In general, though, JL is one of the better ones. And, agree wholeheartedly with V68 that this will be a differentiator of the future - especially as more stuff is done remotely.

asprilla

jonny_trousers wrote:

veronese68 wrote:

I think companies are learning that good customer service pays off in the long run. I reckon that's why John Lewis sales figures are often better than their competitors, they have a reputation for good service.

Not n my house they don't!

3 months to get a microwave delivered (got it for free in the end, though).

A chest of drawers that took about 3 weeks to arrive had to be sent back because it turned up damaged. Another 3 week wait, replacement arrived - damaged. Another 3 week wait, replacement arrived - only minor damage this time so cut our losses.

Mirror - wait - arrived - damaged - return - wait - replacement arrived.

Two sets of crockery poorly glazed that had to be returned.

It's fair to say that JL honour their responsibilities without question, and their customer support staff are very polite and sympathetic, but their delivery service is appalling. If I can't check it in the shop and get it home myself then I'll shop elsewhere.

Nor mine. Worst company ever.

Everything I've bought from JL in the last six years has been damaged or faulty and their service levels have dropped substantially in recent years.

pangolin

We got our gift list there when we got married. Day off work after honeymoon for delivery and unpacking stuff etc.

Van arrives. 4 boxes come up. Well, that's it. What? Where are the other 4/5ths of our gifts? Oh, on a different van. One that got cancelled. Cheers.

Nothing was damaged though

kelsen

meanredspider wrote:

Slightly miffed at the retailer for selling me a product with very out-of-date software (clearly new old stock). I'm waiting to hear back from them.

Assuming the turbo trainer is the correct model, to be fair, not sure what the retailer could have done about the software being out of date. Software releases get pushed out regularly and usually there are instructions for you to download or obtain the latest version from the manufacturer.

meanredspider

kelsen wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Slightly miffed at the retailer for selling me a product with very out-of-date software (clearly new old stock). I'm waiting to hear back from them.

Assuming the turbo trainer is the correct model, to be fair, not sure what the retailer could have done about the software being out of date. Software releases get pushed out regularly and usually there are instructions for you to download or obtain the latest version from the manufacturer.

Yes - normally I'd agree - but I think I have 2009 software - version 1 when the latest is version 4 (with typically 5-10 updates on each version). It's a bit like buying a new laptop and discovering it's running Windows XP. To be fair, bike shops may not be that savvy on this. And Tacx have updated me to the equivalent of Windows 7.

BigLights

pangolin wrote:

We got our gift list there when we got married. Day off work after honeymoon for delivery and unpacking stuff etc.

Van arrives. 4 boxes come up. Well, that's it. What? Where are the other 4/5ths of our gifts? Oh, on a different van. One that got cancelled. Cheers.

Nothing was damaged though

lucky you!! We lost ALL of our wedding gifts as we got married on the day that Wrapit went bust...the utter spivs knew they were going under, too. No refunds to any of our wedding guests, we get no gifts. Charming.

Daz555

veronese68 wrote:

I think companies are learning that good customer service pays off in the long run. I reckon that's why John Lewis sales figures are often better than their competitors, they have a reputation for good service.

Blimey - how did they manage that? Just shows it is all down to the stats and customer averages. Personally I would never buy a single thing from them again. Hopeless organisation in my experience.

veronese68

Daz555 wrote:

veronese68 wrote:

I think companies are learning that good customer service pays off in the long run. I reckon that's why John Lewis sales figures are often better than their competitors, they have a reputation for good service.

Blimey - how did they manage that? Just shows it is all down to the stats and customer averages. Personally I would never buy a single thing from them again. Hopeless organisation in my experience.

Funny isn't it. I knew as I wrote the post someone would have a bad experience, a bit surprised at how many. I tend to buy from them in preference to other places because I find they have better after sales than a lot of other places, and they have a large shop a short walk from my house. I have had an item fail (not their fault) and although it was a year old I was offered a full refund as it was no longer made. Many other shops would have just sent it away for repair. I have had them screw up with a delivery, but the problem was resolved quickly and to my satisfaction.
I think everybody makes mistakes, it's how they are resolved that makes the difference. My experiences have been good.

slowbike

veronese68 wrote:

I think everybody makes mistakes, it's how they are resolved that makes the difference. My experiences have been good.

That's the crux of it ...

We're in a blame culture that is damaging this country - everything that goes wrong has to be someone(elses) fault - and we want them to pay ...

notsoblue

slowbike wrote:

We're in a blame culture that is damaging this country

Its true. We need to find out who is responsible and hold them to account!

kelsen

notsoblue wrote:

slowbike wrote:

We're in a blame culture that is damaging this country

Its true. We need to find out who is responsible and hold them to account!

Wiggle

EKE_38BPM

kelsen wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

slowbike wrote:

We're in a blame culture that is damaging this country

Its true. We need to find out who is responsible and hold them to account!

Wiggle

I'm sitting next to MrsEKE and cracking up laughing. She looks over at the screen expecting to see some hilarious Youtube video or something but sees that I'm "on that bloody forum again". She asked what is so funny so I show her the two quotes above. She doesn't get it.

meanredspider

We need to find out who's to blame and congratulate them. Tacx TTS3.13 installed and it's fantastic. Well done Tacx!

Blandiblub

Just to add to the JL ranting, we bought a Freesat box from them, but ensuring that they weren't going to sell another (better) model in a week's time. They categorically said no so we bought our box. Of course, they then put the better model on sale in a week or so, so I arranged to bring the first one back in to store. I could pick the new one up in the collections area.

All fine up to that point. Only thing was, the one they sold us was another return! It had obviously been opened before, had fingerprints on the box, the batteries were loose/rattling around in the box and the cable bag was ripped open.

Went straight back in to the store and demanded a new one. Took a while but got there in the end. So obvious that they tried to foister the returned one on us for having the audacity to return the first one we bought!